Article and method of forming a bow



July 3, 1962 T. J. J. PAAR 3,041,765

ARTICLE AND METHOD OF FORMING A BOW Filed Dec. 1, 1958 2 SheetsSheet 1 July 3, 1962 T. J. J. PAAR 3,

- ARTICLE AND METHOD OF FORMING A Bow Filed Dec. 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jjj 3,h4l,765 Patented Juiy 3, 1962 spay/es ARTICLE AND METHQD 9F FQRMIENG A EGW Thomas 5. J. Paar, Chicago, iih, assignor to Chicago Printed String (Zornpany, Chicago, Ill, a corporation of Deiaware Filed Dec. 1, 1953, Ser. N 777,421 3 Claims. (Ci. ti -19) This invention relates to an ornament and, more particularly, to a decorative bow suitable for attachment to gift-wrapped packages or the like.

Various ornaments of this type have heretofore been proposed which, however, are of costly and complex design, are difiicult and time-consuming to form, and are not capable of being made into a variety of esthetic configurations. In addition, such prior ornaments are not capable of being partially preformed into a compact shape suitable for shipment to a customer, whereupon complete forming of the ornament may subsequently be readily undertaken by such customer.

Thus, it is one of the objects of this invention to provide an ornament which is not beset with the aforenoted disadvantages of prior ornaments.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an ornament which does not require the talents of an artisan to form one having an appearance of professional quality.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an ornament which may be formed from ribbon of various types, widths, and sizes.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description accompanying drawings, and appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment vof'this invention, a method of forming an ornament from a plurality of elongated ribbon pieces is provided. The method includes arranging such ribbon pieces in aligned relation to form an elongated stack, folding the end portions of the stack about a centrally disposed transverse axis into a substantially U-shaped configuration, and then twisting the end portions of the folded stack in opposite directions through an arc of approximately 180. Subsequent to twisting, the end portions are brought into aligned surface-to-surface contact and such end portions pivotal ly interconnected to one another. The ribbon pieces are successively pivoted independently from the stack, so as to form a configuration having an arcuate serrated .outer periphery.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the improved ornament;

FIG. 2 is a left side elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a left side elevational view of the stack of ribbon pieces just prior to the individual pieces being successively pivoted from the stack to form the ornament of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a right side elevational view of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 and 7 show stages of the ribbon pieces being pivoted from the stack shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a sectional View taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a stack of ribbon pieces, shown prior to the end portions of the stack being folded into a Ushaped configuration; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the stack of ribbon pieces showing the end portions thereof being folded toward each other and twisted in opposite directions to form the configuration shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to FIG. 1, an ornament 20, in the form of a decorative bow, is shown which has a plurality of ribbon pieces 21 which are pivotally connected together at one end by a pin 22. The ribbon pieces 21 are successively pivoted independently about pin 22 to form a bow of annular configuration and having a serrated outer periphery. Each of the ribbon pieces 21, as shown more clearly in FIG. 9, when in laid-out condition, has an elongated central portion 23 and rounded end portions 24. Formed in each end portion is an aperture 25 for accommodating the pivot pin 22. It is preferred that the lengths of each ribbon piece, as well as the width thereof, be substantially uniform, so that an attractive ornament such as shown in FIG. 1 might be formed. The formation of various other attractive ornaments will be discussed more fully hereinafter.

In forming the bow 2th, the plurality of ribbon pieces 21 re initially arranged in coincident relation with respect to one another, to form a stack 26. Subsequent to the formation of the stack, the end portions 26a thereof are folded toward one another about a substantially transverse centrally disposed axis 27 into a substantially U-shaped configuration, as shown in FIG. 10. Simultaneously with, or following, the folding of the end portions 26a in such manner, the latter are twisted relative to one another in opposite directions through an arc of substantially whereby the corresponding surfaces of the end portions 26a are brought into contact with one another to form the configuration shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. The apertured ends 24 of the ribbon pieces 21 are disposed in aligned relation and then pivotally interconnected by pin- 22. When the stack has been folded to the position shown in FIG. 4, the central portion 26b of the stack 26 defines a substantially funnel configuration 28 wherein the narrow open end 30 thereof is disposed outwardly with respect to the pivotal pin 22, and the large open end 31 thereof is disposed adjacent to, but offset, with respect to such pin 22. If desired, a decorative washer 32 may be utilized in combination with the head end of pin 22.

After the stack has assumed the configuration shown in FIG. 4, the individual ribbon pieces, starting with the outer piece 21a, are pivoted successively in a counterclockwise direction, from the stack in a manner as shown more clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7. The outer ribbon piece in is moved in a counter-clockwise direction about pin 22 until such piece is free from the stack, whereupon the next ribbon piece 21b is exposed and likewise pivoted free of the stack. In FIG. 7 individual ribbon pieces 21a, 21b and 21c have been pivoted relative to the stack 26 and the ultimate form of the ornament begins to become apparent. Where desired, the stack might consist of relatively few ribbon pieces, in which case the finished ornament might take the form of a sector of a circle, not shown, having a serrated periphery. Subsequent to the individual ribbon pieces being pivoted to form bow 20, the funnel configuration 28 thereof may be flattened a slight amount so as to produce the ornament in FIG. 2. The narrow open ends 34 of the funnel configuration 28 formed by the central portions 23 of the folded ribbon pieces 21 provide the aerated periphery of the bow 20.

Another variation in the configuration of the improved ornament is that obtained when the stack of rib bon pieces has the pieces thereof increasing uniformly in length from top to bottom. With the stack so formed, the opposite end portions thereof are folded in the manner as shown in FIG. 10 into a configuration approximating that of FIG. 3, with the shortest ribbon piece being the innermost one. Upon the successive ribbon pieces being pivoted about the pivot pin an ornament, not shown, is formed with a serrated substantially spiralshaped periphery.

Because of the configuration of the individual ribbon pieces 21, the bow may be partially formed by mechanical means into the compact shape shown in FIG. 3, whereupon a plurality of such partially formed bows may be conveniently shipped to the customer in a small package without damaging the finished bow. Upon the customer receiving the partially formed bow, the individual ribbon pieces may be readily pivoted about pin 22 so as to form the finished bow. It is readily apparent that no artistic skill is required in performing this operation.

Thus, it will be seen that an improved ornament has been provided which is esthetic and of professional quality in appearance, is extremely simple and inexpensive to form in a Variety of configurations and is capable of being partially preformed by machine into a compact size and shape.

While a particular embodiment of this invention is shown above, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto, since many modifica-tions may be made, and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. An ornament formed from a plurality of elongate fiat pieces of ribbon, comprising a plurality of discrete ribbon strips having opposed distal end portions thereof arranged in face-to-face relationship, means for retaining said end portions in face-to-face relationship, each of said ribbon strips having a center portion interposed between said distal end portions twisted 180 degrees from the plane of said distal end portions, said twisted central portion of each ribbon strip defining a funnel-like configuration, each of said funnel-like configurations having an exposed lower distal edge'portion disposed away from the strip distal end portions with which formed, said exposed lower distal edge portion of each of said ribbon strips being in abutting engagement with a portion of the center funnel-like configuration of an adjacent ribbon strip, the engaged portion of funnel-like configuration of said adjacent ribbon strip being disposed adjacent the strip distal end portions with which it is formed.

2. A method of forming an ornament from a plurality of elongated flat pieces of ribbon arranged in substantially aligned, superimposed relation to form a stack; said method comprising folding the opposite end portions of said ribbon stack toward one another to form a substantially U-shaped configuration and, simultaneously therewith, twisting at least one of said end portions about the longitudinal axis of said stack so that the corresponding surfaces of the opposite end portions of the uppermost ribbon piece of the stack are brought into edge of the funnel-like center portion of each of said ribbon pieces into abutting engagement with a funnel-like center portion of a juxtaposed ribbon piece so as to form a configuration having an arcuate serrated outer periphery.

3. A method of forming an ornament from a plurality of elongated flat pieces of ribbon of substantially like configuration; said method comprising arranging said ribbon pieces in substantially coincident relation to form a stack, folding the opposite end portions of said stack toward one another whereby said stack assumes a substantially U-sha-ped configuration with the opposite end portions of said stack defining the elongated legs of said U-shaped configuration, twisting the free ends of said legs in opposite directions approximately about the elongated axes of said legs; bringing said twisted free ends into face-to-face contact with one another, and bringing the center portions of said ribbon pieces into a nested relation with respect to one another so that each center piece assumes a substantially funnel-like configuration and each of said ribbon pieces center portions has a lower exposed distal edge portion disposed away from the ribbon end portions and defines a portion of said funnel-like configuration; pivotally interconnecting said free ends, independently pivoting successive ribbon pieces from the stack, and urging the lower exposed distal edge portion of the funnel-like center portion of each of said ribbon pieces into abutting engagement with a funnellike center portion of a juxtaposed ribbon piece so as to form a configuration having an arcua-te senrated outer periphery.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,528,622 Teernsma Nov. 7, 1950 2,563,678 Gates Aug. 7, 1951 2,587,502 McMahon Feb. 26, 1952 2,774,164 James Dec. 18, 1956 2,841,905 Wanchek July 8, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,041,765 July 3, 1962 Thomas J. J. Paar It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 31, after "description" insert a comma;

column 2, line 17 for "re" read are line 60, for "aerated" read serrated Signed and sealed this 23rd day of October 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

